


Kya's necklace

by Milf_shake



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-13 15:56:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29653728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milf_shake/pseuds/Milf_shake
Relationships: Lin Beifong/Kya II, Lin Beifong/Tenzin
Comments: 8
Kudos: 40





	1. The concept of love

Love. What a concept, right? “Mama, papa I love you!” their embrace, the feeling of comfort, safety, warmth, understanding, love. “Bumi, I love you no metter what” said to your big brother who is crying because he can’t bend after have tried thousands and thousands times. His little smile between all those tears, his tight hug, his “thank you” wispered in your ear. A thanks full of love. “Yeah, maybe we are a little bit envious, but we still love you. You’re our little airhead after all” a watery smile and a rough hug given by your little brother. That familiar feeling in your chest. A little kiss on his head, a kiss full of love. “Lin, I love you.” said to this beautiful creature in front of you. The words hanging in the summer air. The ocean hugging gently the shore. The waves creating a mesmerizing sound. Everything is illuminated by Yue, who is watching with careful eye. Her pearcing eyes captivated by your sincerity. An ethereal halo frames her beautiful features. A small smile that holds all she can’t say. The feeling of love dances between the two.

During her life, Kya learnt how the word, the feeling, the concept of love can hold different meanings, shapes of intensity and never during her life she betrayed it or decided to put it away, hidden under layers and layers of lies. She loved her mother and also her father. She loved her siblings and uncles and cousins and friends and…Lin.

Aang has always talked about love. The airbanders were bringers of the philosophy of love. They belived in its different shapes sharing a common feature: a deep, rooted and beautiful feeling. Aang taught them how it is natural and can be shown in different ways and to different people, one or more at the same time; and how love isn’t strictly releted to romance. “You see, I love your mother in a way that our souls and minds and essences are connected. But I also love your uncles. They are my family, my home, my dearest friends and my strongest support”. So during their lifes, her and her siblings learnt their ways of love. Bumi undesrtood that his love couldn’t be so strong and rooted to the point to wanting and craving the essence of another person. He loved as a father, a brother, an uncle could love. A love forged in the bond, in the safety and familiarity of a relationship. Tenzin treated the love towards their father as the most precious treasure. And he also learnt that those black curls, that light skin and bright smile were something that would shake his heart. He grew up with the idea and aim to love utterly and deeply that certain earthbender even though he would learn that his love for his culture would be stronger and would leave a bitter taste in his heart. Kya’s love was dedicated to her family and friends, but also to her bending and her deepest desire to travel and learn and be the best version of herself. But Kya also learnt that that feeling related to romance would belong only to that girl she met at that party or during her travels around the world. One day, Katara and Aang said that she would be loved as the first day they have picked her up in their arms after her birth. So she understood even more the meaning of “unconditional love” and she treasured it as the most important lesson.

Even Lin, who spent most of her childhood with her uncles and dearest friends on the island, learnt her ways of love. She loved her mother, this strong, incredible and indipendent woman who was the chief of Republic City Police Department and who taught her how to bend. Declaring, after she got the hang of the basic stances, a whole week as a “party week” because her little badgermole needed to be celebrated. Lin loved learning to bend and how she was connected to the earth and how she could feel everything around her. She loved the first time she saw her little sister, this little thing all pink and red. She loved the days spent at the island. She loved Bumi, Tenzin and Kya. And during her life she learnt how her heart would beat faster everytime she saw Kya dance or Tenzin bend; and so she learnt that romance for her meant boys and girls and that she could give love to whoever she wanted. 

So when Tenzin asked her to go on a date she was the happiest she could be.

And when Kya, her dearest Kya, decided to go away and start to travel, she took advantage of the week notice and she put herself at work. Remebering the story Aang and Katara told to the kids that night at dinner, she collected all she needed and with the help of her mother she started carving a necklace.


	2. Family

FLASHBACK

Air Temple Island felt like home to everyone. When first Aang and Zuko had the idea of the United Republic of Nations, they weren’t thinking only at the Fire Nation’s colonies with a century of mixed cultures, but also at their dearest friends. They wanted to provide a sense of belonging to everyone; they wanted to restore that balance that has been lost. They wanted to bring to life a place where Toph could remember her time with the badgermoles on the mountains; where Sokka and Katara could be still in touch with their heritage; where Zuko could show how his nation wasn’t destruction and sorrow, but art, custom and knowledge; where Aang could share his forgotten culture and bring it back to life. It was for this same reason that Zuko decided to gifted Aang with his beloved island. A place that Aang desired to reflect that sense of belonging: “This island is going to become a new home for my legacy, but I want it also to be a home for everyone. Every person that would come here will feel loved, accepted and lightweight”. And they did. Every single person that put feet on the island felt deep in their soul this sense of belonging in the right place. Every breathes were caught by the picturesque view of the architectures, reminiscing the air temples around the world, the beautiful flowers that adorned the different gardens around the island, and the majestic trees that provided shadow and coolness during the hottest days, and the distinctive little animals, the real owners of the atoll. This fabulous painting brought an internal peace and a sort of sparkle, as Spring had bloomed in their chests. The Air Nation was back, not in its entirety, but its soul was healing and Aang was gratified by the interest the world was showing towards it. Day after day he could see his home being shared with everyone else.

And this deep feeling was well known by the Gaang too. Each day spent on the island was regenerating, each dinner felt like a family reunion and each story being told was like a piece of heart being shared. Lin felt at home as well. She felt at home with her mother sitting at the same table as her, with a glass of cactus juice in one hand and a little Su in her lap, ready to tell every funny story about her uncles. She felt at home with her uncles’ laughs ringing all around the dining room. She felt at home when a blushing Tenzin tried to impress her with some new air trick, or Bumi’s latest horrible joke taught by Sokka, or when Kya shared what she has learnt that week from her readings. For Lin, and everyone else, that felt home. And she loved that fondness for her home that was capable to make her shoulders more relaxed and her smile brighter.

And it was at one of that dinner that she learnt one of the endless meanings of love.

“Mama mama! Please, please can you tell us the story of your necklace?” sweet Kya asked her mother after dinner was finished and everyone were comfortable sitting or laying down somewhere in the large living room with a nice cup of jasmine tea. She had learnt earlier that week that in the Water Tribes that type of necklace had a particular meaning and women that wear one of them had been promised one of the purest and strongest sentiment.

“What Sugar Queen Jr, do you want to marry someone?” the husky voice of her picturesque aunt broke the sudden silence that had fallen at the question. “Oogie! No, I don’t. But I know that those types of necklace are special and have their little story…I’m just curious”. Kya has always been the curious one of the family. When she wasn’t practicing her bending, she was in one of the libraries at the temple or in one of her secret places around the island reading about all and nothing. It was due her hungry about knowledge that she recognized in her the desire and need of travel around the world and learn. Aang and Katara were really proud of her. The relationship the parents had with their daughter was really strong thanks her demeanor. Aang would spend mornings and evenings with her discussing about air nomad philosophy. Even Tenzin sometimes was jealous of her sister because she was more inclined than him to understand those concepts. Katara was happy to spend time with her daughter studying anatomy and practicing new ways of healing or bending. Even her uncles were captivated by all the questions that little girl had about earthbending, firebending and hand to hand combat skills. Lin loved that about her. They would spend nights talking about their passions and exchanging advices about bending and other stuff. But Kya was also curious about life itself, so what better way then learns about it if not going to parties with her big brother? They were the liveliest of the family. “Together they would have defeated Ozai with one of their bad jokes” Aang once said smiling.

So, when Kya asked about Katara’s necklace nobody was surprised. Despite this, a sudden silence broke the joyful chat. The memories linked to that necklace were a lot: Katara and Sokka’s mum; their culture almost lost; their sweet gran gran; the war, the sorrow, the darkness; their dearest friends, their new family; Aang and Katara’s love and their three beautiful children.

With every eye on her, Katara smiled at her daughter. Aang was squeezing her wife’s hand, a silent way to tell her it was okay, that he was there for her and her story. Sokka was looking at her, with that fondness in his eyes, she was grateful for. Zuko, Suki and Toph were silent, waiting for their friend to start opening her scarred heart. The children were all concentrated on Katara. The air full of suspense. And after taking a deep breath, Katara started to tell the story of her necklace.

“You’re right Kya. These necklaces have their stories to tell and actually, mine has three. It first belonged to my gran gran. It was a betrothal necklace. You see, in our culture, as a promise of love, the man has to carve a pendant, usually something that remembers our tribe or something that is meaningful to the couple. So, at the beginning, it was only a mark of the love my gran gran shared with this man. But with the Fire Nation willing to erase the other Nations, her lover decided to go to the North Pole, it was more secure, but gran gran refused to abandon her home. The necklace became a promise and a dear memory of the past days and the hope of future ones as good as the previous. When my mother married my father, she gave it to her. It became a lucky gift and a symbol of my parents’ love.” Kya was listening with wide eyes. She was absorbing every single word her mother was saying, willing to cherish those memories as her own. Even her brothers were paying attention and were caught in the tale. Lin’s eyes kept swinging from Katara and Kya, mesmerized by her aunt’s story and the beautiful concentrate girl near her. The room was quiet, the only noise was the soft snore of a sleepy Su in her mother’s arms. “Then, one not so joyful day, my mother gave it to me. It became the only memory of her, the only thing that still connected the two of us. For years I thought about this necklace as a reminder of something, or rather, same one I no longer had. Every time my thoughts came back at my necklace, I felt only sorrow and anger and all I wanted was revenge. Rare were the kind and pure memories we had shared” a silent tear run down Katara’s cheek at the recollection of her feelings during those dark moments. A little gasp left Kya’s lips. The girl knew that her family had suffered during their lives, but hear her mother vocalize those strong emotions was indeed something else. “During the year of the war I considered it as a reminder of why I was fighting. I didn’t want that other had to experience the same lost and sorrow as me. My actions were dictated not completely by love, but by a sort of nauseating hate. Sometimes it could be predominant, but thanks to Aang, Sokka, Toph, Zuko, Suki and their love I learnt that that wasn’t the right way to wear it. After all those years I really understood what it meant the time my mother gave it to me and what she wanted it to mean. She gifted me with her memory, her care, her strength, her love. Everything that I could bring wherever I went; love that has always been there in different shapes and forms”. At this point Katara was crying freely, smiling at her whole family taking in the beloved view in front of her. Toph could feel the turmoil in Katara’s heart, but it wasn’t sorrow that she was feeling, it was a strong affection. She caught her tears before anyone could see her. Spirits, how soft they’ve made her! “Then the war finished and things were a little bit quiet. After some years your father asked me to marry him…I think now it’s your turn, dear” the air shifted one more time and a cool breeze could be felt in the room. Everyone take a deep breath and the strong emotions that were here some seconds prior, now have left room to a more relaxed and warm feeling. That was one of his tricks; he was capable of bringing serenity where there were negative vibes, a smirk when there were tears. Aang smiled at Katara and started to talk “I knew how important the necklace was for her, so I didn’t want to give her a new one and replace it. But at the same time, I wanted to respect her culture and her heritage so I decided to add a new pendant. The past met with the present, one type of love with another” Kya was completely caught in the story. Love, one word, but thousands and thousands of meanings. A necklace that encloses different type of that same feeling.

“OOGIE! Every single time I hear this story I feel like I’m drowning in an ocean of honey. I knew Zuko had to burn my ears years ago!”

“Yeah, Meathead here has a point. It’s like to be back when you two were all kissy kissy on Appa” to emphasize her concept Toph started to mime two people kissing, always careful not to wake up little Su.

A mixture of laughs from the adults and comments of disgust from the kids was ringing in the living room. Toph was proud of her tease, while Sokka was feigning to puke at the sweetness of the story with a rather pissed Suki next to him that was trying to scold him. Zuko was laughing, whereas Aang and Katara was trying to deny everything to the kids. After the peace was restored Aang proceeded to narrate “Then we found out we were expecting a baby and when Bumi was born, I carved another charm. This one meant the fruit of love and a new way to give and receive this beautiful connection. And so I did with Kya and Tenzin’s birth”. Chaos broke out again. This time Su has definitely woken up at the roaring in the room and the kids were caught in an intense discussion, while the adults were laughing at each other and there were who was blaming Aang and Katara for their display of affection, who was instead blaming Toph and Sokka for their lack of sweetness. Lin was lost in the chaos that was her family. Every laugh and joke brought a happy smile on her face and her nose wrinkled a little bit. Even Su was now laughing at the antics of her mother, though she didn’t know what was really happening. Lin was glad to be there in that moment, to be a witness of the happy atmosphere that surrounded them. She treasured that evening and that story as the most precious fortune.

PRESENT  
Lin has always known that Kya, one day or another, would have sailed and would have travelled the world. They spent days and nights talking about all the places they could visit and what the two of them would have loved to see. “You know we can go together if you want, right? Think, you and me discovering the secrets of the world!” once Kya had suggested while they were strolling on the beach. Lin thought for days at the offer and she was willing to accept it. Travelling by sea and earth, meeting new people and cultures, tasting new dishes and learning new types of bending. All of that sounded exciting and Lin wanted to do it.

But when the time for Kya to set off arrived, Lin found herself incapable of leaving. A lot of things had changed since the time they had talked about travelling together and now Lin had new responsibilities that she couldn’t skip. She had started the police academy earlier that year when she turned eighteen and now the test for being fully accepted would have been taken at the beginning of Autumn and she couldn’t neglect the lessons and the training. Her twelve years old sister was entering that stage of her life where everyone had to be at her disposal and their mother couldn’t be always there for all her whims; so, Lin had to help the Chief keep a chaotic Su at bay. She was also dating Tenzin and for how much he was travelling with his father, he had never stayed away longer than two weeks; she didn’t think that a long-distance relationship would be good for them, or rather, for her. After their first date three years ago, they had become inseparable. Tenzin was delighted and he felt as he had been blessed by the Spirits. His dream was Lin and now that they were together, he was trying to spend as long time as possible with her, giving to that gorgeous girl all the affection and attentions she deserved. On her side, Lin was madly in love and she couldn’t believe that all of that was true. She adored the way Tenzin made her feel: loved, considered, understood, protected. She couldn’t image her life without him. And also, he was really good with Suyin, so why not take advantage of him a little bit?

And that’s why she was now with her mother, in their backyard, with different types of leathers, metals and rocks trying to craft the perfect necklace for Kya.

“Hey badgermole, tell me again. Why are we doing this?” Toph asked, moving her hand in the general directions the tools were, while Lin was fixing everything they needed.

“ ‘Cause this weekend Kya is going to leave and only Spirits know when I will see her again” Lin mumbled for the hundred times that week “and also I want to give her something that will remind her of me” she added under her breath.

“Okay. I mean, it is still disgustingly sweet, but I guess I’m not going to die helping you…or I hope so. And what will I earn?” Lin was starting to think that involve her mother has been a mistake.

“I can convince Izumi to send us a whole box of firewhiskey behind uncle Zuko’s back, so you’ll have two gifts for the Solstice. What do you think?”

“You think I’m an alcoholic?!” Toph answered feign indignation, as it wasn’t the truth. Well, not that Toph would drink a whole bottle of cactus juice or firewhiskey all alone, but she certainly was not a teetotaler.

“Okay, okay! What about I babysit Suyin for a whole week? So you can go to do yours ‘activities’ Spirits know where?”

“A month”

“A WHAT- I- two weeks and I will not debate further”

“Two weeks and that box of firewhiskey”

“You know you are impossible, right?”

“I’m the strongest earthbender and metalbender alive for one reason” Toph said with a dorky smirk. Lin was staring in awe at her mother. That woman was the dumbest person she ever met.

“Now, can we continue? This necklace isn’t going to craft itself”

“You’re no fun” the older woman answered back and stuck her tongue out at her daughter. Lin was sure one day someone would give her a prize for her patience. Even Aang sometimes would lose it when he had to do with her mother. Maybe she would be the next Avatar…her mother and sister were a lot to take.

“So, we have the leather and the shape of how I want the pendant to be. We have to pick up one type of stone…or metal…or rock…” while Lin was intent studying what could be the chosen one, Toph was ‘looking’ at her. Her daughter, her once little badgermole. She was so proud of her and all the success she had achieved during the years. Maybe later she would hit her on the arm, you know, just to be sure she knows she had done well.

“What do you think about the agate? It’s not that easy to bend, but I think it would look good.”

“Yes, you’re right. It is also light blue. The perfect color…it will match with her eyes!” now Lin was really excited. Finally, the necklace was taking shape.

“Oogie! You sound as bad as your uncles” she was really the more powerful earthbender, metalbender and especially teaser.

“I will not punch her in the face, so whenever she’ll look at herself in a mirror, she’ll remember of me, like SOMEONE has suggested. So please, now can you really help me?”

“Well, when I punch people, they know I’m being sweet with them. So why not?” and as to prove her concept she hit Lin on her forearm.

Rubbing her arm and smiling freely at her mother, she answered “You know, I’m not so sure that uncle Sokka’s arm would agree. Aunt Suki had to put some sort of lotion on his arm after last week dinner.”

“It’s not my fault if your uncle is ‘delicate’”

“Yeah. Now, can we work on this?” 

“Okay, okay! Remember the firewhiskey though.” blowing at the bangs that were on her eyes, she got close to Lin to help her.

“Anyway, I love you too, mum”

“Oogie!”

It was going to be a very long afternoon.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everybody!  
> So, this is my first attempt to write and SHARE something I created and well... I'm really proud of myself.  
> I don't really know where this will go, 'cause the first idea was completely different from what I've written. I hope to be able to upload constantly (fingers crossed).  
> Let me know what you think and I accept criticisms and reflections.  
> Have a good day! :D
> 
> ps: I'm @helplesslezbeean on Tumbrl


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